Exercising While Undergoing Cancer Treatment

Although it is generally suggested when you are sick to rest, patients undergoing cancer treatment, as well as cancer survivors, will benefit from exercising.

It is paramount to avoid inactivity.

Training for an Ironman or marathon is unnecessary, but patients will simply benefit from getting up and moving around. Even if exercising simply means taking a lap around the dining room tables later extend that to two laps and eventually build it up to taking a walk around the block.

Typical side effects of radiation include fatigue, DNA damage and inflammation of tissues and organs. Exercise has been proven to reduce inflammation and help repair DNA.

There are days when patients will feel sickly during treatment and the suggestion is in no way to suck it up and run three miles. However, if chemotherapy is on Mondays then try to make time for a workout on Wednesdays and Thursdays, when the sickly feeling subsides.

However, exercise routines should be tailored for individual people. For instance, if a patient has weakened bones due to treatment, he should avoid heavy weightlifting.

Athletes in particular need to be conscious of not doing too much too soon. People who were active period to their diagnosis are not accustomed to being deconditioned. Mentally it can be tough for them to realize how weak they’ve become during treatment.

Patients must listen and take cues from their body as they get back into a routine.

Studies have found that cancer survivors should take part in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week as recommended by the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.

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